Meeting the conservation challenge in England’s designated landscapes

The Glover Review and the future of land management.

The Glover Review, published in September 2019, sets out an ambitious and far reaching reform agenda for England’s designated landscapes. It places particular emphasis on doing more for nature and connecting with people in deeper and more inclusive ways. This new CRE Research Report focuses on the conservation challenge in England’s National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, using the evidence produced by a range of organisations during the Review and reactions to its publication.

The Swale Trail in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (c) Nicola Bell

Report authors Nicola Bell and Guy Garrod argue that, while the ambition of the Glover Review is welcome, we need to consider what can be achieved without significant new resources or legislation. Hence they argue that the design, delivery and resourcing of the post-Brexit Environmental Land Management System (ELMS) is critical to the future of both conservation and sustainable socio-economic development in protected landscapes. The Report concludes by explaining why this is the case and setting out some specific questions on the future of ELMS that the Glover Review neglects.